Pensioner Raymond Mills, 73, was killed in a horror smash when Andris Kalnin's BMW plunged into the dad-of-two's Honda motorcycle in Southport, Merseyside, on June 29 last year.

Stacey Garland, 48, cast aside vengeance as she appealed for Kalnins, 44, to be spared jail.

But the killer, who pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving, was put behind bars for six months and disqualified from driving for two years and three months.

Ms Garland was relieved to find out that with good behaviour he would be out before Xmas to spend time with his daughters.

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MAPPED: The pensioner was killed when the BMW plunged into his motorbike

She said: "A lot of people would feel quite angry and vengeful, but those thoughts just never entered my mind.

"It was nice to be praised by the judge for my humanity as I wasn't expecting it at all. I think everyone should try to be forgiving.

"Not holding onto that vengefulness is so freeing. I'm able to just focus purely on my grief and on all the happy memories I have with my dad.

"He was such a fun and loving dad. He was always up for a laugh and loved to party, probably a bit too much.

“I'm so glad Kalnins could make it home for Christmas”

Stacey

"He was such an accomplished musician and taught me and my brother how to play guitar."

Ms Garland added: "Losing my dad has made me really appreciate just how important it is to be able to have those memories to hold onto which is why I'm so glad Kalnins could make it home for Christmas.

"I think he has two daughters and I didn't want them to have lost their father too.

"Or for his wife to lose her husband."

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FORGIVEN: She said, 'I'm so glad Kalnins could make it home for Christmas'

The jailbird had a barrel of illegal red diesel stashed on the back seat of his car when he hit the pensioner.

And the killer, formerly of Bath Street in Southport, Merseyside, confessed in court that he had never read the Highway Code.

Ms Garland wasn't aware of all the details of the case when she wrote her victim statement in court.

But she has since said she stands by her opinion that the 44-year-old should not have been jailed.

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KILLER: Andris Kalnins killed Mr Mills in a horror smash in Southport

Ms Garland added: "I didn't know about the red diesel Kalnins had on him at the time but it didn't change my mind.

"I know he was speeding but I really do believe it was an accident and it could have happened to any of us. I don't bear him any ill will.

"If I thought he was a danger to anyone then I wouldn't have appealed for mercy from the judge.

"There were some quite shocking things revealed by witnesses in court about how my dad was thrown into the air and that he was twitching on the road.

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GRIEVING: The daughter revealed she had a close relationship with her dad

"It was so awful and shocking to hear but I held onto the knowledge that Kalnins had not set out to kill my dad."

The mum-of-one had a great relationship with her dad but sadly drifted apart in the last few years.

When the 48-year-old was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, she didn't want her father to see her until her hair had grown back.

Ms Garland said: "We had always been so close. He was a fabulous father. But over the last few years, life just got in the way.

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APPEALED: Ms Garland lives with her son Richard and dog Riley

"My dad's second wife passed away and I got divorced from Richard's dad and moved back in with my mum in Formby.

"I always meant to call and go to see him but I just put it off. I didn't want to see him until I had hair. He was always telling everyone how beautiful I was.

"I do really wish I had got to speak to him one last time but you can't live with those kind of regrets. And now the chance to see my dad again has been taken from me.

"I find it a comfort to know that he would be really proud of how I am coping with his loss. He was always a very forgiving person."